I disagree, I know many people who have horses, my other halfs mother is a jockey, my grandad is also a very well known tipster and used to have horses... It's not cruel, if the horse doesn't enjoy it - it simply won't do it. They are very stubborn animals... Whipping doesn't cause the animal any pain or discomfort - of the horse doesn't like it - it simply won't do it. So saying it's cruel is wrong. It's not cruel. It's not animal cruelty. The race horses are extremely well looked after inspected by vets loads of times and fit for what they do. If it gets injured it retires or is put down if it's severe - just like any other animal...

I disagree, I know many people who have horses, my other halfs mother is a jockey, my grandad is also a very well known tipster and used to have horses... It's not cruel, if the horse doesn't enjoy it - it simply won't do it. They are very stubborn animals... Whipping doesn't cause the animal any pain or discomfort - of the horse doesn't like it - it simply won't do it. So saying it's cruel is wrong. It's not cruel. It's not animal cruelty. The race horses are extremely well looked after inspected by vets loads of times and fit for what they do. If it gets injured it retires or is put down if it's severe - just like any other animal...

How can we possibly know whether the horse "enjoys it"? Did you ask it?
They are born and bred for this purpose so they do it but it doesn't mean is enjoying itself?!

I disagree, I know many people who have horses, my other halfs mother is a jockey, my grandad is also a very well known tipster and used to have horses... It's not cruel, if the horse doesn't enjoy it - it simply won't do it. They are very stubborn animals... Whipping doesn't cause the animal any pain or discomfort - of the horse doesn't like it - it simply won't do it. So saying it's cruel is wrong. It's not cruel. It's not animal cruelty. The race horses are extremely well looked after inspected by vets loads of times and fit for what they do. If it gets injured it retires or is put down if it's severe - just like any other animal...

I'm so glad so many "professionals" can get into the horse's psyche and know instinctively what it does and doesn't enjoy. You've been brainwashed with only one side of the story - told by the people who make money from it: jockeys, tipsters and vets.

How do you know that whipping doesn't cause the horse pain? What? A horse has no nerve endings? Let's see if whipping your mother in law will hurt. Give me her address and I'll pop round and let you know the results of the experiment. Time to study biology. The horse is in constant fear which overrides its so called stubbornness.

Horse racing is blood sport pure and simple. It wouldnt exist if the bookies didnt make money from it. Horses doe not naturally race. What does a horse do when they dont have a jockey on their backs. They stand there and eat grass! All those poor creatures raced today will be retired to the slaughter house when they can no longer race. I know someone who has rescused race horses including grand national winners and the amount of damage that is done is incomprehendable. Jockeys are legallised animal abusers and tbh i would rather bet on a jockeys life then an animals. Just my two pence worth

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I don't agree with the grand national. It's too many horses racing over obstacles that are too high and unsafe but a lot of what you are saying is not true. Horses do race naturally and will happily sprint around a field for fun. They don't end up in slaughter houses either, many are retired or sent to retraining centres, the winners are brought back every year to parade. While I believe tougher rules are needed on the sport, saying jockeys are legalised animal abusers is harsh.

Also, while we're on the topic, I hate seeing horses being ridden by police officers at riots and football matches ect. Using a horse to intimidate a crowd, or just to give a wider view and use them for your own protection, with no care for the horses welfare disgusts me. What age are we living in where we still have to use horses for 'war'?!

Whips used in racing are specifically made to slap not sting or cut... Most of the time in races you see the jockey bringing it forward he's not actually hitting the horse but bringing it the horses sight, there are also rules on when and how a jockey uses a whip. They're rules on what it's made off to make sure they're safe to use... I know many people that work with horses and help my MIL on a regular basis if you hit it (not saying they do) it will hurt you a lot more then the horse. If it hurt the horse they would be scared of the jockey when they mount or dismount but they're not.. They would shy away and kick up a fuss, but they don't.

I don't know why horses don't shy away or kick up a fuss. It's an interesting point. But I'm pretty sure this doesn't necessarily mean they want to race and be whipped, although they probably don't know any different? And so it's not a case of wanting to or not? I don't know how horses think but I will always believe that horse racing is a cruel "sport".

Just wondering if any of you guys eat meat? Not being sarcastic just wondering as there was a really intersteting thread on it ages ago about the treatment of animals in slaughterhouses. I'm not getting into the rows about it again as it always gets too heated and would rather have debates face to face nowadays as over here things can go sour but you guys may be intersted to look it up you can easily Look via google xxxx